Crimson Desert Set for Late 2025 Release, Announced at The Game Awards

We know that the team at Pearl Abyss can deliver an awesome MMO experience, but we’ve been eagerly awaiting official word on their single-player game, Crimson Desert.  Well, wait no longer — not only did we get a new trailer showcasing a TON of new gameplay, we also locked in a release date and platforms.  What is Crimson Desert you might ask?  Well, let’s get into the background:

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Players follow Kliff, leader of the Greymanes — a band of battle-hardened mercenaries — who must fight to save Pywel from an impending catastrophe. As they explore the vast landscapes of Pywel, players will engage in intense battles, defeat formidable monsters, collect valuable loot, and follow the story of the Greymanes’ journey with next-generation visuals.

In tonight’s trailer, Crimson Desert showed off new gameplay, including:

• Combat Systems and Dynamic Playstyles: Crimson Desert promises an exhilarating and strategically rich combat experience, where Kliff faces off against foes and formidable bosses in epic, large-scale battles. Whether engaging in intense one-on-one duels or battling through massive hordes of relentless foes, each encounter offers a dynamic and thrilling challenge. As Kliff ventures through vast, action-packed zones, he confronts powerful enemies and takes on monumental boss fights. By defeating these mighty adversaries, he unlocks unique weapons and armor, gaining new abilities that enhance his combat style and prepare him for the even deadlier threats that lie ahead.
• Soar Through the Skies: Command, ride, and control wyverns for exhilarating aerial combat, unleashing fiery attacks on your enemies.
• Explore the Breathtaking Open-World of Pywel: Ascend to mysterious locations, glide seamlessly from the skies to the ground or ride a trusty steed to experience Pywel’s fully realized world, brought to life by the next-generation BlackSpace Engine, with dynamic weather, time, and environmental changes.
• Immersive Open-World Action: Beyond combat, enjoy rock climbing, gliding, fishing, cooking, and so much more. Explore a vast, interconnected world of Pywel, featuring mechanized villages, intricate puzzles, and interactive aerial Abysses that promise endless discovery.

The trailer showcases a ton of crazy gameplay, including dragon riding and large puzzle manipulations.  It’s still hard to nail down precisely what this game truly is, and I suspect we’ll feel that way until we finally get to go hands-on.  Looking forward to that in a big way.

And now for the most exciting news — the release date.  The planned timeframe is Q4 of 2025, launching PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Stay tuned right here for more Crimson Desert news — this is one we’re watching very closely.   In the meantime, here are a bunch of new gorgeous screenshots: